A CONTROVERSIAL ALTERNATIVE TO THE BOY SCOUTS IS MOVING INTO THE METRO. THEY SAY THEY'RE ALREADY GETTING SOME TRACTION IN THE KANSAS CITY REGION. KMBC 9'S MICHEAL MAHONEY HAS MORE: TRAIL LIFE STARTED UP IN MANY AREAS LAST SUMMER, AFTER THE NATIONAL BOY SCOUT ORGANIZATION CHANGED ITS POLICY, PERMITTING GAY BOYS TO JOIN. THAT UPSET SOME SCOUTS AND PARENTS, ESPECIALLY IN TROOPS SPONSORED BY SOME CHURCHES. IN A TRAIL LIFE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO, THE GROUP LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE A STANDARD SCOUT TROOP. EVEN THEIR MOTTO IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE BOY SCOUT OATH. HERE IN THE METRO, THERE ARE AT LEAST 3 TRAIL LIFE GROUPS THAT HAVE FORMED, OR ARE TRYING TO ORGANIZE. ACCORDING TO ORGANIZER LEAH JONES, THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 2 GROUPS, IS THE TRAIL LIFE GROUPS HAVE A LARGER SPIRITUAL COMPONENT THAN BOY SCOUT ORGANIZATIONS: I REALLY APPRECIATE, ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, A PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON OUR YOUNG MEN BEING PURE, UNTIL MARRIAGE. AND THAT IS AN ASPECT THAT I REALLY EMBRACE, AND I BELIEVE OTHER PARENTS HAVE EMBRACED AS WELL. JONES SAYS THERE'S A TRAIL LIFE GROUP IN OLATHE. SOME INDEPENDENCE SCOUTS ARE TRYING TO SET ONE UP, JONES IS INVOLVED IN ONE IN EDGERTON. SHE'S ALSO TRYING TO GET ONE OFF THE GROUND IN PARKVILLE. SINCE ITS START, TRIAL LIFE GROUPS ARE IN MISSOURI AND 39 OTHER STATES.